一太と母
A boy named Ichita sells natto on the streets early every morning.
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Sample: three-line reading
Each word has its meaning in this sentence underneath, and each sentence has a full translation. Read the original and glance down only when you need to.
About the book
This passage follows Ichita, a boy who sells natto, as he rides the morning train to peddle his ware along the streets, chatting with customers, and later goes out selling eggs with his mother. The writing feels plain and concrete, carrying the lively energy of a small child making his rounds alone.
Cultural notes (selection)
Background a translation can’t carry: social roles, history and allusions. While reading, tap “Note” at the end of a sentence to see them all.
Old-style geisha houses and teahouses had fine wooden lattices (格子 windows and doors) facing the street, so from outside one could only see the silhouettes of people inside. In the early morning, geisha buying things from street vendors who hawked their wares along the street was a common everyday scene in Tokyo's shitamachi at the time.
藁苞（わらづと）: a small tube-shaped wrapping woven from rice straw, commonly used to sell nattō, miso, pickles and the like. When selling nattō, the vendor handed the customer mustard along with it, which is why the text says "納豆の藁づとと辛子".
A casual way of tying a woman's sash: the obi is simply thrown on without a formal knot.
About the author
Miyamoto Yuriko (née Chūjō; 13 February 1899 – 21 January 1951) was a Japanese novelist, short-story writer, social activist, and literary critic active during the Taishō and early Shōwa eras. She is best known for her autobiographical fiction, including Nobuko, Banshū heiya, and Fūchisō, and for her involvement in proletarian and women's liberation movements.
How the glosses are made
Word glosses and sentence translations are generated in context by AI models (DeepSeek and Zhipu GLM), and every word is checked to have a gloss. AI can make mistakes; you can report problems from the book page.
FAQ
Is this the original text?
Yes. The library holds the opening section of the public-domain original, taken from 青空文库.
Do I need to pay or sign up?
Library books are free to read without an account. Other gloss languages and importing your own texts need an account and credits.
What level is it?
This one is marked “Intermediate”. Every word is glossed, so you can keep reading even with a small vocabulary.
Can I use another gloss language?
English and Chinese glosses are prepared in advance; signed-in readers can generate other languages.